


The Only Moment We Were Alone

by Luftig



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Cooking, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Light Angst, Literal Sleeping Together, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Stargazing, Stolen Moments
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2020-10-21 07:15:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20689598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luftig/pseuds/Luftig
Summary: A look into the stolen moments between Wanda and Vision after the events of Civil War.—Tags will be updated as chapters come out.





	1. Chapter 1

_ “So place your hand in mine _

_ Let go of it all and sing _

_ These futile little worries _

_ Along with me _

_ 'Cause it's all we've got _

_ We've no need to pretend _

_ 'Cause with only love can we face the end _

_ Let's escape, find a place where everything's ok _

_ Where all the pressure in our lives will fall away _

_ Somewhere we'll have the time to redefine, come alive _

_ To really mean something through it all” _

_ _ \- “Day by Day” Tall Ships _ _

* * *

Under different circumstances, Wanda might have actually enjoyed all of the traveling. Europe was a beautiful place with so many sights to see. She had always wanted to visit Paris or London, even when she was young in Sokovia. These cities served as a glimmer of light when it was just her and Pietro against the world. Proof that there were better things in life.

However, when you are on the run, a fugitive, it is difficult to enjoy the cities of Europe. Or rather, it is impossible to find the time to fully appreciate them. She had moved so many times in the last few months, that she never got to relax and breathe. Never in the same place for too long and always having to look over her shoulder, it was not ideal. She couldn't remember the last time that she awoke feeling well-rested. 

They moved again today. From Prague to Dublin. The birth of a new day had already begun, the darkness of the night slowly fading and she had not slept. 

Sam was with her this time. Of course, he would be leaving soon. To a small city outside of Dublin, she heard him say earlier that day. They always traveled in pairs, in case something went wrong. Whenever they settled down for a few weeks, they were never too close together. 

“You all set, Red?” Sam asked, setting her bag on the floor of the safe house. It was a small apartment, bare, save for a table and some chairs. There were only two rooms from what she could tell. He leaned against the wall as she sat in one of the chairs. The fatigue from worrying and moving started to set in.

“Not really,” she said, giving a bitter laugh. 

He smiled sadly, just as unhappy with their situation as she was, “Yeah, I know how it is. But you know what Cap says, ‘this is the way it has to be.’ Doesn’t mean we have to like it though.” 

“I miss the way things used to be,” she sighed, rubbing her face with her hand, “and it still would be if it wasn’t for me.”

“Hey, don’t say that,” he said sharply, “None of this is your fault, Wanda. This is all Ross.” 

“Sam, you and I both know that the Accords happened because of me.”

“The Accords were gonna happen sooner or later. Besides, that Zemo guy had a pretty heavy hand in this too, pitting Steve and Tony against each other like that.” 

“Maybe.” 

Sam sighed, pushing himself off of the wall. He walked over to where she sat, putting a hand on her shoulder, “We’ll figure this out, alright? You’re a tough kid, Red, and I know you can handle this.”

“I know,” she said, though she didn’t feel like she could, “I have to.” 

“Yeah. We all have to.” He patted her shoulder, “Look, I’ve gotta get going. You need anything before I head out?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Alright then, you know the drill. Lie low for a few weeks and Nat will contact you soon." 

"Thanks, Sam." She stood.

"Sure thing," he said, giving her a quick hug, "I'll only be an hour or so out if something comes up." 

"Alright. Goodbye, Sam."

"See you soon, Red." With that, he started out the door with a small wave. And then she was alone again.

The early sun peeked through the window curtains. Another sleepless night. At least she could breathe now, in the safety of the small apartment. As soon as she stepped inside it felt like she let a breath out that she didn't even know she was holding. It was always like that now. Living in constant paranoia. 

There was only one thing that she felt that she could truly depend upon now, aside from her fugitive friends, and that was Vision. He sought her out a few weeks after he learned of the jailbreak at the Raft and he had surprised her in Amsterdam. He told her that Natasha had helped him get in contact with her after he proved that he was not going to turn them over to Stark. It had been weeks since she saw him last, longer than usual.

She sighed, dragging her bag into the small bedroom, not bothering to unpack. She dreaded having to go back out to buy some food and various necessities. But, she knew that she needed to. The light in her life came tomorrow and she wanted to spend every moment she had with him.

* * *

Wanda waited at the train station the next day. The one familiar thing in her life amidst all of the chaos would be arriving soon. The train rolled to a halt. Seconds later, she watched as a flood of people poured out before a new crowd rushed to get onto it. A tall, blond man standing in the middle of the sea of people caught her eye. 

She reached out to him, walking toward him, _ "Vision?"_

The man's eyes widened a fraction, his gaze locking onto her. A smile lit up his face and he started making his way through the crowd.

_ "Wanda," _ his smooth voice filled her mind.

As soon as she got over to him she threw her arms around him in a tight embrace, almost catching him off balance. He chuckled softly, wrapping one of his arms around her. She buried her face into his sweater, holding onto him like he might disappear at any second. 

"I missed you," she said into his chest. 

He held her closer, kissing the top of her head, "And I missed you." 

After a few moments, she stepped back, suddenly aware that they were probably making a scene in the busy station. Extra attention was not something she needed, though she wanted to hug him for hours.

"I brought these for you," he said, revealing a modest bouquet of flowers he had hidden behind his back. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "This time they should be intact."

She smiled, remembering the last time he visited when he made the mistake of holding the flowers in front of him. He had not anticipated that she would throw herself at him in a hug, much like she had today. Unfortunately, the flowers had been crushed between them. 

"Thank you, Vis. They're perfect." 

"Of course," he paused, brow furrowing as he glanced around at some of the bystanders that were curiously staring at their interaction. “Perhaps we should postpone this until we get to where you’re staying. It seems that we are attracting an audience.” 

He offered her his hand with a hint of a smile on his face and she intertwined their fingers. She always relished this closeness after having to live in the loneliness of her new way of life. Settling for these little moments of togetherness was all she could do. 

She led him through the streets of Dublin back to the new safe house. Her hand slipped out of his to grab the key to the apartment. He followed her inside. 

“I’m going to go find something to put these in,” she said, gesturing to the bouquet she held in her hand, “feel free to make yourself comfortable.” She made her way into the kitchen, using a glass as a makeshift vase for the flowers. 

As she filled up the glass at the sink, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist, preventing her from going anywhere.

“Vis,” she laughed, “what are you doing?” 

“I believe that I am making myself comfortable,” he said. She could hear the grin in his voice. He continued softly, “I have wanted nothing more than to have you in my arms again.”

She shifted in his arms, turning around to smile up at him, "I wouldn't have it any other way." 

He brought her hand up, pressing a soft kiss into the center of her palm. With that simple action, she felt all of her worries melt away. For now, everything seemed like it would turn out okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback, thoughts, and criticism are extremely appreciated!
> 
> Thank you for reading. Have a nice day.


	2. Chapter 2

“May I cook for you?” 

She couldn’t help but stare at him. 

“What?” 

Vision was great at nearly everything that he did, but cooking was just one of those things. That was one of the disadvantages of not needing food to survive. 

He chuckled at the slight look of apprehension drawn on her face, “I assure you, my capabilities have improved since the last time.”

“Improved?”

“Yes, Mr. Stark and Colonel Rhodes proved to be honest critics. I believe I have sufficiently experimented with various recipes.” 

“Um, alright then. Knock yourself out.” She paused as confusion flitted across his features, “I mean, go ahead, if you want to.” 

A dazzling smile lit up his face as he moved to make his way into the small kitchen. He looked through the cabinets and refrigerator in search of the ingredients that he needed. He pulled a pack of raw chicken out of the fridge.

“There’s a market right down the street, if you’re missing anything. I only picked up the basics yesterday,” she said offhandedly, watching as he set aside an onion and some peppers, along with various spices and a few cans. 

“No, that won’t be necessary. You have everything that I require for this.” 

“Is there anything I can do to help?” 

He shook his head, “I want to do this for you, Wanda. I do not want you to have to do anything,” he smiled, “however, you can keep me company, if you wish.”

“I can definitely do that." She took a seat on one of the stools at the counter. 

He set to work on chopping up the vegetables and chicken, making perfectly precise cuts that not even the most experienced chef could make. Once everything was cut up, he turned the stove on, placing a pot on one of the eyes and dropping the chicken and onion in. 

"So, how did you get roped into cooking for Tony?" 

After stirring the pot with a spoon a few times, he turned around to face her. "I wanted to learn how to cook for you," he sighed, his gaze shifting downward, "and Mr. Stark has not been taking proper care of himself. I thought it would be best to help in anyway I could. Accomplish two things at once."

He had mentioned how Tony was handling the situation to her before. Tony busied himself with work or new projects, constantly working with Rhodey, trying his best to help his friend walk on his own again. 

"I started out with making simple recipes for Mr. Stark and eventually worked my way up to more complex dishes. Even Colonel Rhodes started to partake." 

"How is Rhodey?" she asked gently, knowing that Vision was still remorseful about what had happened. 

"He has made improvements, but he must rely on Mr. Stark's technology in order to walk. He told me that he did not hold any resentment towards me, though I find it hard to believe." 

"Rhodey is an honest man, Vis. He wouldn't lie about that."

He fell silent after that, turning away to focus on the pot on the stove again, adding in the peppers. 

“You’re making paprikash?” she asked, hoping to steer the conversation back onto a lighter track.

He nodded, “I thought that you might enjoy something that would remind you of home," he glanced at her with a sheepish grin, "and you'll be delighted to know that I actually used paprika this time."

A savory aroma filled the room when he stirred in the spices he had picked out and the scent reminded her of the paprikash her mother used to make back in Sokovia. It had been years since the last time she smelled proper paprikash.

Her heart swelled at his thoughtfulness. Not many people had ever gone to such lengths for her and yet he was always so considerate, like a breath of fresh air.

"I am almost finished," he said after a few moments, pouring a can of chicken broth into the pot and continuing to stir the mixture together. 

“It smells amazing,” she said. 

When he was satisfied, he collected some of it with the spoon, bringing it up to give an appreciative sniff. 

“Would you mind getting a plate?” 

She moved over to where he stood, reaching up to grab a plate from one of the cabinets and a fork from a drawer. He served her some of the food before switching the stove off. 

He watched intently as she took her first bite. The burst of flavor in the initial bite of chicken was a pleasant surprise. It held a perfect amount of heat from the spices, not too spicy or too mild like some styles of paprikash tended to be.

“How is it?” he asked, his normally smooth voice wavering slightly. 

“This is incredible, Vis,” she said between bites. This was a far cry from his first attempt at cooking back at the compound. “I haven’t had paprikash this good in forever.”

A self-satisfied smile took the place of any uncertainty that was on his face as he visibly relaxed. “I’m glad that you are enjoying it.” 

“You may have to cook for me more often,” she teased. 

“Well, that was the goal,” he smirked, “now, you have to let me cook for you.” 

“I can’t complain about that.”

The meal only got better as time went on. Amusement played on his face as he continued to observe her while she ate. When she finished, she insisted on helping him clean up. As he washed the dishes, she came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his front. “Thank you for doing this, Vis.” She pressed a kiss into the center of his back, “It really means a lot to me that you went to all this effort.”

“It was my pleasure, Wanda. I would do anything to make you happy.” He dried his hands, one coming up to stroke the backs of her hands, “You deserve the world.”

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting at 4am is fun.


	3. Chapter 3

The soft drone of the television sounded throughout the dark-lit room. They had been all cuddled up together, watching some movie they had found while flipping through the channels. The truth was, Vision had stopped paying attention to the film a while ago, lost track of the characters and the story. His attention was focused on the sleeping woman curled into his side with her arm wrapped securely around his middle. 

He knew that she was tired before they even started watching the movie. She had been trying to stifle little yawns all night. All of the traveling and the constant looking over her shoulder she had to do took its inevitable toll. Vision tried to convince her that they should go to bed instead, but she insisted that she wasn't tired.

It did not take long before she started to nod off once they settled in on the couch. He suspected that she did not sleep much whenever he had to return to the compound. She had told him that she slept better in his arms, that she wasn’t troubled by the nightmares when he was with her. 

Every single time, it pained him to leave, but he would not risk revealing Wanda’s whereabouts by staying for too long. In a way, that only made these moments that they had to steal all that more significant. The time they spent together these days were a blessing, almost threatening to disappear if one of them made the wrong move.

Wanda shifted in her sleep, nuzzling further into him like some sort of woodland creature. He looked down at the relaxed expression she wore on her face, lightly stroking his hand through her hair. She looked so carefree in this moment, all traces of stress gone. 

Though this had happened before, he still found himself in awe of his position. Never in a million years did he imagine that something like him would be capable of receiving love. Much less from this absolute marvel of a woman. 

She accepted him for what he was when others did not, never shying away from him, even after all that had happened. Maybe he had just gotten lucky somehow. He did not know what he did to deserve her affections, or if he even did deserve her. 

Her sleepy voice startled him out of his thoughts, "You're thinking too loud."

His hand stilled in her hair, his cheeks warming. "I'm sorry," he said softly. The last thing he wanted to do was to wake her. She needed the rest. He had subconsciously noticed that her breathing had shifted from the evened out pace a while ago, but he was too occupied in his own insecurity. 

“Shh… don’t apologize, my Vision,” she murmured with a small smile, her arms tightening around him. “I love you. Please, do not doubt that.”

“That was not my intention,” he said. "I love you too." 

She hummed her agreement, and just like that, she drifted off again, her breathing evening out once more and leaving him in silence.

His attention refocused on the television screen as the end credits of the movie began to scroll by. The small clock on the wall above the television read half past one o'clock. He let out a sigh and carefully pulled her into his arms, carrying her to their room. She stirred ever so slightly, but from what he could tell, she remained fast asleep. He had gotten good at maneuvering her to their bed without awakening her over the last few months. 

He laid her down on the bed and settled in next to her. Instead of falling back into the trap of his uncertainty, he allowed himself to simply be content as he held her close to his chest. He was lucky enough to have her.

“Thank you, Wanda," he whispered. 

They were together and that was enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for such a short chapter. I've had a bit of a stressful week that's left me uninspired. Still wanted to post something before the end of the week, so here it is.


	4. Chapter 4

Wanda leaned against the brick wall, looking up at the sky, the only thing accompanying her was the gentle wind blowing through the air. The stars scarcely scattered themselves across the night sky like specks of white paint spattered on a dark canvas. She had quietly made her way up the flights of stairs in her temporary apartment complex, up to the rooftop access. 

It had become a common occurrence, especially since she became a fugitive and was on the run. After tossing and turning in bed, trying to fall into an inevitably restless sleep, Wanda gave up and found herself going outside to watch the stars. In her and Pietro's younger years, they often came across spots to stargaze back in Sokovia. Sometimes, they made up their own stories about the constellations and other times, they would simply admire them. The stars were calming, almost grounding in a sense.

Vision had left to return to New York the night before to avoid arousing suspicion. His presence somehow allowed her to slip into a more fulfilling slumber with ease, and she hated when he was gone. But, it was necessary. Still, she missed him, as she always did.

She sighed and tipped her head back to press against the wall, closing her eyes. 

_ It had been one of those nights. One of those nights where she could tell that sleep would try it's hardest elude her, even though she felt exhausted. She had left Vision outside to get ready for bed. Wanda stared at her reflection in the mirror, a weary expression adorning her features. The dark circles under her eyes only made the situation that much worse. Her body seemed to taunt her for the sleep that she desperately wanted, and yet her mind just wouldn't play ball. She shook her head and went back to washing her face. _

_ Vision was already reclining against the headboard of the bed when she came out of the bathroom. _

_ “Vis?” _

_ He turned to look at her, a small smile on his face. "Yes, Wanda?” _

_ She rubbed her arm nervously. “Do you mind coming up to the roof with me?” she asked, pausing when he lifted a quizzical eyebrow, “I don't think I'm going to be able to fall asleep. It's something I used to do with… with my brother when we were younger and it always helped me go to sleep." _

_ A look of concern washed over him, his brow furrowing and a frown taking the place of the smile, but he nodded and stood, "of course." He took hold of her hand, rubbing gentle circles onto the side of it, and motioned for her to lead the way. _

_ Wanda led him through the short hallway of the hotel as he followed closely behind. The elevator was “out-of-order” according to the crudely Sharpied sign taped to the doors, not doing anything to prevent someone from still trying to use it. That was alright by her, though. After being trapped in that crumbling building with Pietro for days, she had been left with a dislike of small, enclosed spaces. Instead, they took the stairs. Her room had been on one of the upper floors, so it did not take long for them to find themselves at the rooftop. _

_ The rooftop seemed to act as a balcony for the hotel visitors. When she scouted it out earlier in her stay, she found that a guard rail lined the perimeter. A few scattered lights, some of which also did not work, dimly lit the roof. Vision’s hand never left hers as she led him to stand near the railing. _

_ “Thank you for coming with me,” Wanda said, “I didn’t really want to be alone right now.” _

_ "Are you alright?" he asked after a few beats of silence. When she looked at him, she could almost feel the worry rolling off of his being in waves. Although he put on a calm and collected demeanor, the fast movement of his irises gave away that he was thinking quickly, trying to figure out how he could help. _

_ "Yeah," she said, her unoccupied hand finding the railing and gripping it. "Sorry for being weird… I just needed something to help my mind relax. The breeze up here is nice and I like looking at the stars.” _

_ "The stars are quite beautiful," Vision agreed. The stars were out on full display tonight, twinkling above the city. A smile crept up on his face when he met her gaze again. "However, they are not nearly as stunning as you." _

_ She felt herself blush and looked away. His tendency to say something disarmingly sweet always caught her off guard. No one had ever been like that with her before. And that made him leaving that much harder. There was no way for her to keep in touch with him when he was gone. Phone calls and texts were off-limits, only meant to be used for emergencies. _

_ "I wish we didn't have to do this," Wanda sighed. It wasn’t fair that they had to hide when everyone else in the world did not have to. That they could only share mere moments with each other before he had to leave. _

_ "Do what?" _

_ "All of this running and hiding," she said, motioning towards the door. "I want you to be with me, always. But, I know you can't and I just wish you didn't have to go." _

_ Vision remained silent, his lips pressed together in a fine line. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to his chest. "I miss you when you're gone," she whispered. _

_ "I miss you too, Wanda. More than you know." His hand rubbed up and down her back in soothing strokes. She closed her eyes and focused on the gentle rise and fall of his chest. A small comfort—proof that he was there with her, for this moment, at least. _

_ “Perhaps, the stars can provide you some additional comfort,” he said. _

_ She pulled back to look up at him as his face tilted towards the sky. “What do you mean?” _

_ “Well, you and I will always be able to see them, no matter how far apart we are," Vision said slowly. "If you are looking, know that I am looking as well. In a sense, it would be as if we were together." _

_ He shook his head. "Perhaps I am being silly—” _

_ "No, Vis, don't say that." Her hand came up to cup his face, bringing him back to look at her. She smiled. "I like that idea.” _

Wanda reopened her eyes and focused on a single star, the brightest of them all, in the sky and hoped that he would see it too. One day, they’d be able to look at them together, without having to worry about a distance forced between them.

_ “I love you, my Vision,” _she thought, reaching out with her mind, despite knowing that a response was impossible from this distance. 

And yet, distantly, she could have sworn she heard: _“I lo__ve you too.” _

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback, thoughts, or criticism are extremely appreciated!
> 
> Thank you for reading. Have a nice day.


End file.
